SDRW: Café Chloe

This past September was another San Diego Restaurant Week, which is a great opportunity for Mr. Tall and I to try new restaurants. Mr. Tall and I initially wanted to go to Market in Del Mar, but could not get a reservation (a week in advance!). So, our second choice was Cafe Chloe in the East Village. This restaurant has been on our radar for a few years, but we just have never made it there until now.

The ambiance of Cafe Chloe is fantastic--it really captures the look and feel of a chic, Parisian bistro. When we stepped into the restaurant, it was a bit confusing at first because there was no host/hostess; but we were quickly greeted and seated once someone spotted us by the door. The SDRW menu had a nice selection of 3 options to choose from for the appetizer, main, and dessert courses.

Mr. Tall started with the classic French Onion Soup served in a darling ramekin. Sweet and savory caramelized onions in a rich broth, topped off with a piece of baguette crouton and cheese--can't go wrong with that.

I started with the Warm Crottin Goat Cheese and Fig Salad, which was simple and delicious. The Crottin goat cheese was coated in breadcrumbs and lightly fried. The warm goat cheese went really well with the perfectly ripe and slightly sweet fig. My only complaint was that I could have used more figs than one sliver of it! Nonetheless, the meal was off to a good start.

On to the main course: Mr. Tall again went for the classic choice of Steak and Frites. The steak was served with herbes de provence butter, a side of roasted corn and peppers, and, of course, a stack of pomme frites. Mr. Tall thought that the steak was cooked well, but tasted average and underwhelming. Not sure if it was just not the best cut of beef, but the only flavor came from the herbes de provence butter. (Cafe Chloe's website says that they use products from local and sustainable sources, so I do wonder where the beef came from ...)

I have a soft spot for mussels and seafood stews in general. So, the choice was obvious for me to go with the Mussels Belgique with Pomme Frites. The Belgian-influenced dish was nice, but the cream-based broth was a bit salty and one-note in flavor. Maybe I could have used more white wine or lemon in the sauce. Anyway, I can't hate on the dish though because I pretty much devoured all of the frites.

To end our meal, Mr. Tall went with the Bittersweet Chocolate Pot de Creme served with vanilla bean whipped cream and a brandied cherry. The pot de creme was good, a bit dense, but he enjoyed it.

I chose the Apple Galette with Creme Fraiche Ice Cream. The apples were not overcooked, and the ice cream was delicious and not overly sweet. However, the galette crust dough was way too thick and not flaky, so the crust was disappointing for me. Overall, Mr. Tall and I did enjoy the meal and the ambiance of Cafe Chloe--a great place for date night! And you can't beat the SDRW price tag of $30 for a 3-course offering!

Two weeks after our visit to Cafe Chloe for SDRW, we went there again to meet some friends for a weekend brunch. I had the House-Cured Salmon Gravlax Tartine with Creme Fraiche and Cucumber-Dill Salad, and Mr. Tall had the Two Eggs with Bacon, Baguette and Herb Butter. We really enjoyed the brunch, and would definitely go back to Cafe Chloe again for brunch and at least once again for their full dinner menu. They also have "Urban Tea," which I will have to try one of these days because I absolutely adore high/afternoon tea.

Enjoy,
LMC

Coming up next: LMC's Culinary Adventures in Los Angeles!